Method of etching a metal graining plate



July 3l, 1934. J. A. BURNS v1,968,370

METHOD OF ETCHING A METAL GRAINING PLATE Filed June 8. 1952 INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented July 31, 1934 Prier.

METHOD F ETCHING A METAL GRAINING PLATE James A. Burns,

Jamestown, N. Y.

Application June S, 1932, Serial No. 616,159

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a method of preparing an etched metal plate for the reproduction of Wood grain and has as its primary object to evolve a method of preparing such a plate by which the prepared plate will be etched for the reproduction, with great accuracy, of a vgrain which it is desired to reproduce.

Another object vof the invention is to evolve a method of etching a metal plate for the reproduction of characteristic grain features and color tints and shades of rare woods on plain surfaces such as steel, wood, fiber board, etc., where an interpretation of a rare wood finish is required or desired.

Another object of 'the invention is to evolve a method, in the'carrying out of which, certain details in wood panels, which do not present a pleasing appearance, when reproduced, may be omitted and other details may be included to effect a greater harmony and balance and therefore produce a more beautiful design in the painted finish.

Another object of the invention is to evolve a method of preparing an etched metal plate for the reproduction of wood grain which will constitute an aid to hand grainers in their attempts to obtain a higher degree of perfection in simulation of WoodV grain on plain surfaces without the suggestive appearance of the same 3u being mere printed duplication.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing a veneered panel which it is intended to reproduce.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the brushing step. l

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the structure of- Figure 1 showing the panel after the formation of the grooves or depressions.

j Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 after filling in the depressions.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the scraping operation by which the excess ink is removed. i

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating` the next step involving the employment of the roller for the taking up of the ink.

Figure ,7 is a View similar to Figure 3 but showing a metal plate after the transfer to it of the ink from the roller.

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 7 illustrating that step consisting of treating the plate in the appropriate bath.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure '7 but showing the plate after being filled in with the acid resisting ink.

` Figure 10 is a View similar to Figure '7 showing the second plate involved in the process after treatment with the roller.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the treatment in the bath of the plate shown in Figure 10.

Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 are vertical sectional views showing the condition of the plate of Figure 10 after successive steps.

In the carrying out of the method I first prepare a veneered panel 1 showing the grain which itis intended to reproduce and arrange this panel upon a supporting surface or base 2, the panel being united to the base by the use of a water-proof glue to keep it flat.

The next step in the method consists in rubbing into the surface of the panel a liberal quantity of linseed oil andv permitting the filament of the oil to remain upon the surface of the panel so as to penetrate the pores of the wood of which the panel is made. As will presently be made evident, this step is carried out for the purpose of preventing penetration of the panel by an etching agent or medium which is employed in a further step and which penetration of the panel might impair the adhesive qualities of the glue and result in a separation of the panel from the base.

A layer or'film of asphaltum may be applied to all margins of the panel as an extra precaution against the lifting of the veneer from the base.

After the asphaltum coated edges have dried, a hot solution of lye in water is applied to the surface of the panel to open the pores thereof and this step is repeated by the brushing or similar application of a fresh warm solution of lye after the first applied coating has dried, as indicated in Figure 2 ofthe drawing.

The next step in the method consists in rinsing the surface of the panelvvitl'i Warm Water so as to remove all traces of the lye solution which might otherwise be left at the` surface of the panel. The panel now has depressions or grooves 3 in the surface where soft fiber has been removed by the lye and brushing.

The panel is' then left to dry and, when dried, the next step in the method is carried out and this step comprises smoothing the surface of the panel by the use of fine sandpaper and thoroughly cleaning the surface, by removing all wood dust, by the employment of any suitable duster of fine texture and, if desired, compressed air.

After the panel .has been thoroughly cleaned, the next step in the method is carried out and this consists in spraying the surface of the panel with a coating consisting of a mixture of one part of lacquer and two parts of a suitable thin er, and this spraying is so carried out as to to the entire surface of the panel a thin coating whereby to seal the hard part of the panel so as to prevent a penetration of these parts by ink or other coloring medium which is employed for printing, as will presently be explained.

il next prepare an ink consisting of four parts of printers black ink, 5 parts of beeswax and one part of pure turpentine, and this mixture melted and thoroughly stirred and then permitted to cool. When cooled the mixture is spread over the panel `which has been prepared as the previously described steps of the method, and a scraper e of soft spring steel, preferably of a length equal to the width of the panel is 'then applied and moved over the surface of the panel to scrape olf the ink from all ci harder parts of the veneer thus leaving the ink composition in the pores and soft parts of the veneer panel, Where the fibres have been removed indicated at 5 in Figures 4 and 5.

The next step in the method consists in passing over the surface of the veneered panel, a roller S of a gelatin composition for the purpose of taking up, from all of the recessed parts of the panel which have been formed by the lye solution treatment7 the ink which may have reached these parts. This roller is preferably of a circumference equivalent to the length of the panel and after the roller has been passed over the panel, its surface will be found to have accumulated the ink removed from the recesses in the panel, in one revolution of the roller in Contact with the surface of the panel. This roller then passed once over a smooth bronze plate or other suitable metal plate 'l and in this manner the ink which has been accumulated by the roller is impressed upon the surface of the said plate as indicated at 8 and therefore corresponds to the pores and shades in the veneer panel.

The step in the method consists in thoroughly inspecting the impression thus obtained and noting any defect or weakness in the printed design on the plate which is then carefully removed with benzine, after which the desired designs substituted by a printing pad or by suitable artist brushes and, if a pad is employed, it will be of a gelatine composition. The bronze plate thus prepared is permitted to dry after which it is submerged in a solution of chloride of iron as indicated at 9 and exposed to the action of this solution for approximately two hours7 after which the plate is thoroughly washed and is then ready for use as an extra plate from which any number of grain impression plates may be made, the preparation of this grain plate being produced by the steps which will now be described. The chloride of iron bath removes that portion of the plate which Was exposed, as indicated at 10, leaving the ink-coated surface as high parts ll.

The master plate thus treated has its surface coated and all etched parts lled with the same acid-resisting ink as that referred to above as shown at l2 and its surface is then scraped with a steel scraper to remove all ink from the polished high parts 11 of the plate, namely, the surface which was protected from the action of the chloride of iron solution referred to above, thereby leaving the ink in the etched grooves or recesses which Were formed by the corrosive action of said solution.

The next step in this branch of the method comprises running a gelatin composition roller, for one revolution, over the surface of the plate so as to take up upon the surface of this roller the ink left in the recessed parts of the master plate, and the next step consists in passing this roller for one revolution over the polished surface of another bronze plate 13 which after another inspection and necessary changes is submerged in a chloride of iron solution for a period of approximately forty minutes, after which the plate is cleaned with benzine and laid upon a fiat bed of wood boards securely fastened upon a frame which is of the size of the metal grain plate thus treated. The surface of this plate 13 Will now present a duplicate of the panel after the lye treatment.

The plate thus mounted is now ready for regular printing except for the finer and deeper shades which are worked into the plate in a manner which will now be described. An ink 14 made up of any suitable color is spread over the entire surface of the plate as indicated in Figure 12 and a steel scraper is used to scrape the ink off the raised polished parts of the plate, leaving the ink in the recessed or etched parts which are thus filled with ink. A gelatine composition roller is now run over the metal graining plate, picking up the ink left in the deeper parts of the plate, and, thus charged, the roller is run over the obverse face of a piece of #120 close-cote garnet or sand paper 15 of the exact size of the graining plate thus giving a true and accurate print of the plate upon the said obverse face of the sand l` paper.

A charcoal sketch of all the fine and heavy shades, cross lires, high lights, and heavy lines found in the grain of the original Wood panel is now marked out on the print on the obverse face of the sandpaper taking care that all details correspond to these noted in the veneer 1 itself.

The bronze graining plate is now coated with the acid resisting ink as indicated at 16 and, when dry, the sandpaper with the design and sketch of shades on the obverse face is now accurately fastened over the graining plate thus coated so that every line upon the back of the sandpaper fits over the corresponding line on the graining plate. The sketch and print is now used as a guide for bringing out the details of the Various shades as found in the original wood panel and by the further steps which will now be described.

A steel tool similar to a short engraving tool and mounted on a wooden handle, is held against the obverse face of the sandpaper and firmly drawn along the sketched lines of shading where a darker line or shade is wanted. This stroke is repeated until the same has been pressed through the acid resisting ink coating and in this manner exposes the bronze plate sufficiently to permit of the chloride of iron solution to act upon the same. By repeating the strokes and using the tool on the fiat side or on the edge, and using a firmer or lighter stroke, a variety of different exposures of the bronze plate may be obtained, when all the so-sketched shades have been impressed by the sand through the acid resisting ink coating and have thus exposed the metal graining plate in a variation of strength of tones depending upon the amount of sand grains being forced through the acid resisting coating. The plate is then again submerged into a solution of chloride of iron 17 for thirty minutes, etching the exposed polished surface of the plate as indicated at 18. The plate is now washed off, first with water to remove all traces of the acid, and, afterwards, with benzine to remove the acid resisting coating. A new test print is taken and, if necessary, the previous operations are repeated until a satisfactory result is obtained.

The bronze graining plate 13, thus etched, is now mounted upon a true, at wooden board, and fastened at its ends with flathead screws, and at the sides with small angle irons. An ink of proper shade is used and spread over the finished graining plate which in this way has all pores, recesses, and shades lled with ink and by scraping the plate rmly with a steel scraper the ink is scraped from all the polished parts of the surface or" the plate which have not been etched or affected by the action of the acid, while the ink is left remaining in all of the pores, recesses, and shades.

A gelatine composition roller is now run over the plate picking up the ink left in the etched part of the plate, bearing upon its surface the impressions thus obtained, and is run over the surface to be grained transferring the design of the etched metal graining plate to this surface. A badger hair blender may be now used to blend over the printed design to softenits appearance and to obliterate such defects in the printing as may be caused by air holes or small cuts in the gelatine composition graining roller when somewhat worn.

he result will show a remarkably close resemblancs to the wood panel which it was intended to reproduce or interpret. Should it be desired to obtain a variation of grained effects from the same graining plate, the grainer may add a few glazing colors to the printed design after this is dry and in this manner develop a grained effect which will present a soft and pleasing appearance, will be of dii-ferent color combinations, and will thus impress the observer as being an artistic and faithful reproduction or interpretation of a wood panel without the appearance of a cheap print.

Should it be desired to reproduce the grain of woods that have no pores or other design or grain that can yield a print if treated with a lye solution, a charcoal sketch of the characteristic features cf such wood is then carefully transferred upon the obverse face of a piece of sandpaper large enough to cover the entire metal plate which has been coated with the above mentioned acid resisting ink and the procedure, of imprinting the sand into the resistance so as to expose the bronze plate to the action of the chloride of iron solution, is followed exactly as described above.

What I claim is:

The method of preparing an etched metal plate for the reproduction of wood graining, which method includes the steps of treating a veneered panel possessing the characteristic features of graining which it is desired to reproduce to remove the Wood fibers from the pores of the panel, sealing the pores of the harder fibers of the panel, applying to the surface of the panel a coating of a colored ink mixed with a waxy vehicle, scraping the surface of the panel to remove the ink from the harder fibers of the panel, transferring the ink design to a bronze plate having a smooth surface, to effect an impression on the surface of the plate of the pores and shades in the veneer, permitting the plate to dry, and, when dry, submerging the same in a solution of chloride of iron, cleaning the surface of the plate, applying a coating of the said ink composition to the surface of the plate, permitting the coating to dry, scraping the ink from the raised, iin-etched parts of the face of the plate, passing a gelatine composition roller over the surface of the plate to taire up the ink remaining in the etched portions thereof, passing the roller over the obverse face of a sheet of sandpaper and thus imprinting upon the said face of the .sheet the gralning defined by the ink bearing area portions of the roller, making a charcoal sketch of the une and heavy shades, cross fires, high lights, and heavy lines of the original veneer panel, on the obverse face of the sheet of sand paper, coating the face of the bronze graining plate with the said resisting ink, permitting the same to dry, applying the sheet of sandpaper to the bronze graining plate with its abrasive side in contact therewith, passing a steel tool over the obverse face of the said sheet with varying degrees of pressure to accord with the impressed portions of the area of the said sheet and thereby impressing the abrasive coating particles into the portions of the said coating of acid resisting ink which remain upon the bronze plate, and removing the sandpaper sheet to effect removal of such portions of the coating as have been impressed, and thereby expose the plate to permit of a further etching treatment by the chloride of iron solution.

JAMES A. BURNS.

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